Obesity Biology Folio

NAME: Jazlyn Jong Yian Xze

COLLAGE NUMBER: SC201016

CLASS: 2AL - Dinawarie

DATE: 10TH March 2021

 Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a
risk to health. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese.

Body mass index (BMI) is a calculation that takes a person’s weight and height into account to
measure body size.

In adults, obesity is defined as having a BMI of 30.0 or moreTrusted Source, according to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Obesity is associated with a higher risk for serious diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease,
and cancer.

Obesity is common. The CDC estimates that 42.4 percentTrusted Source of Americans 20 years old
and older had obesity in 2017 to 2018.

But BMI isn’t everything. It has some limitations as a metric.

According to the CDCTrusted Source: “Factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, and muscle mass can
influence the relationship between BMI and body fat. Also, BMI doesn’t distinguish between excess
fat, muscle, or bone mass, nor does it provide any indication of the distribution of fat among
individuals.”

Despite these limitations, BMI continues to be widely used as a way to measure body size.

Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to an extent that it may
have a negative effect on health. People are generally considered obese when their body mass
index (BMI), a measurement obtained by dividing a person's weight by the square of the person's
height—despite known allometric inaccuracies—is over 30 kg/m2; the range 25–30 kg/m2 is defined
as overweight Some East Asian countries use lower values. Obesity is correlated with various
diseases and conditions, particularly cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep
apnea, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. High BMI is a marker of risk, but not proven to be
a direct cause, for diseases caused by diet, physical activity, and environmental factors. A reciprocal
link has been found between obesity and depression, with obesity increasing the risk of clinical
depression and also depression leading to a higher chance of developing obesity.

Obesity has individual, socioeconomic, and environmental causes, including diet, physical
activity, automation, urbanization, genetic susceptibility, medications, mental disorders, economic
policies, endocrine disorders, and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals. While a majority of
obese individuals at any given time are attempting to lose weight and often successful, research
shows that maintaining that weight loss over the long term proves to be rare. The reasons for weight
cycling are not fully understood but may include decreased energy expenditure combined with
increased biological urge to eat during and after caloric restriction. More studies are needed to
determine if weight cycling and yo-yo dieting contribute to inflammation and disease risk in obese
individuals.

Obesity prevention requires a complex approach, including interventions at community, family, and
individual levels. Changes to diet and exercising are the main treatments recommended by health
professionals. Diet quality can be improved by reducing the consumption of energy-dense foods,
such as those high in fat or sugars, and by increasing the intake of dietary fiber. However, large-scale
analyses have found an inverse relationship between energy density and energy cost of foods in
developed nations. Low-income populations are more likely to live in neighborhoods that are
considered "food deserts" or "food swamps" where nutritional groceries are less
available. Medications can be used, along with a suitable diet, to reduce appetite or decrease fat
absorption. If diet, exercise, and medication are not effective, a gastric balloon or surgery may be
performed to reduce stomach volume or length of the intestines, leading to feeling full earlier or a
reduced ability to absorb nutrients from food.

Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with increasing rates in adults

and children. In 2015, 600 million adults (12%) and 100 million children were obese in 195
countries. Obesity is more common in women than in men. Authorities view it as one of the most
serious public health problems of the 21st century.  Obesity is stigmatized in much of the modern
world (particularly in the Western world), though it was seen as a symbol of wealth and fertility at
other times in history and still is in some parts of the world. In 2013, several medical societies,
including the American Medical Association and the American Heart Association, classified obesity as
a disease.

The three types of obesity

These ranges of BMI are used to describe levels of risk:

 Overweight (not obese), if BMI is 25.0 to 29.9

 Class 1 (low-risk) obesity, if BMI is 30.0 to 34.9

 Class 2 (moderate-risk) obesity, if BMI is 35.0 to 39.9

 Class 3 (high-risk) obesity, if BMI is equal to or greater than 40.0

 Obesity is generally caused by eating too much and moving too little. If you
consume high amounts of energy, particularly fat and sugars, but do not burn off the
energy through exercise and physical activity, much of the surplus energy will be
stored by the body as fat.

Calories
The energy value of food is measured in units called calories. The average physically active man
needs about 2,500 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight, and the average physically active
woman needs about 2,000 calories a day.

This amount of calories may sound high, but it can be easy to reach if you eat certain types of food.
For example, eating a large takeaway hamburger, fries and a milkshake can total 1,500 calories – and
that's just 1 meal. For more information, read our guide to understanding calories.

Another problem is that many people are not physically active, so lots of the calories they consume
end up being stored in their body as fat.

Poor diet
Obesity does not happen overnight. It develops gradually over time, as a result of poor diet and
lifestyle choices, such as:

 eating large amounts of processed or fast food – that's high in fat and sugar

 drinking too much alcohol – alcohol contains a lot of calories, and people who drink heavily
are often overweight

 eating out a lot – you may be tempted to also have a starter or dessert in a restaurant, and
the food can be higher in fat and sugar

 eating larger portions than you need – you may be encouraged to eat too much if your
friends or relatives are also eating large portions

 drinking too many sugary drinks – including soft drinks and fruit juice

 comfort eating – if you have low self-esteem or feel depressed, you may eat to make
yourself feel better

Unhealthy eating habits tend to run in families. You may learn bad eating habits from your parents
when you're young and continue them into adulthood.

Lack of physical activity

Lack of physical activity is another important factor related to obesity. Many people have jobs that
involve sitting at a desk for most of the day. They also rely on their cars, rather
than walking or cycling.

For relaxation, many people tend to watch TV, browse the internet or play computer games, and
rarely take regular exercise.

If you're not active enough, you do not use the energy provided by the food you eat, and the extra
energy you consume is stored by the body as fat.
The Department of Health and Social Care recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes of
moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as cycling or fast walking, every week. This does not need
to be done all in a single session, but can be broken down into smaller periods. For example, you
could exercise for 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week.

If you're obese and trying to lose weight, you may need to do more exercise than this. It may help to
start off slowly and gradually increase the amount of exercise you do each week.

Genetics
Some people claim there's no point trying to lose weight because "it runs in my family" or "it's in my
genes".

While there are some rare genetic conditions that can cause obesity, such as Prader-Willi syndrome,
there's no reason why most people cannot lose weight.

It may be true that certain genetic traits inherited from your parents – such as having a large
appetite – may make losing weight more difficult, but it certainly does not make it impossible.

In many cases, obesity is more to do with environmental factors, such as poor eating habits learned
during childhood.

Medical reasons
In some cases, underlying medical conditions may contribute to weight gain. These include:

 an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) – where your thyroid gland does not produce
enough hormones

 Cushing's syndrome – a rare disorder that causes the over-production of steroid hormones

However, if conditions such as these are properly diagnosed and treated, they should pose less of a
barrier to weight loss.

Certain medicines, including some corticosteroids, medications for epilepsy and diabetes, and some

medications used to treat mental illness – including antidepressants and medicines
for schizophrenia – can contribute to weight gain.

Weight gain can sometimes be a side effect of stopping smoking.

 Obesity is a complex health issue resulting from a combination of causes and individual factors
such as behavior and genetics. Behaviors can include physical activity, inactivity, dietary patterns,
medication use, and other exposures. Additional contributing factors include the food and physical
activity environment, education and skills, and food marketing and promotion.

Obesity is serious because it is associated with poorer mental health outcomes and reduced quality
of life. Obesity is also associated with the leading causes of death in the United States and
worldwide, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer.

Health Consequences
People who have obesity, compared to those with a healthy weight, are at increased risk for many
serious diseases and health conditions, including the following:

 All-causes of death (mortality)

 High blood pressure (hypertension)

 High LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, or high levels of triglycerides (Dyslipidemia)

 Type 2 diabetes

 Coronary heart disease

 Stroke

 Gallbladder disease

 Osteoarthritis (a breakdown of cartilage and bone within a joint)

 Sleep apnea and breathing problems

 Low quality of life

 Mental illness such as clinical depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders

 Body pain and difficulty with physical functioning

 Many types of cancers external icon

 Endometrial cancer: Obese and overweight women are two to about four

times as likely as normal-weight women to develop endometrial cancer
(cancer of the lining of the uterus), and extremely obese women are about
seven times as likely to develop the more common of the two main types of
this cancer. The risk of endometrial cancer increases with increasing weight
gain in adulthood, particularly among women who have never
used menopausal hormone therapy 

 Esophageal adenocarcinoma: People who are overweight or obese are about

twice as likely as normal-weight people to develop a type of esophageal cancer
called esophageal adenocarcinoma, and people who are extremely obese are
more than four times as likely

 Gastric cardia cancer: People who are obese are nearly twice as likely as
normal-weight people to develop cancer in the upper part of the stomach, that
is, the part that is closest to the esophagus
  Liver cancer: People who are overweight or obese are up to twice as likely as
normal-weight people to develop liver cancer. The association between
overweight/obesity and liver cancer is stronger in men than women

 Kidney cancer: People who are overweight or obese are nearly twice as likely as
normal-weight people to develop renal cell cancer, the most common form of
kidney cancer . The association of renal cell cancer with obesity is independent of
its association with high blood pressure, a known risk factor for kidney cancer.

 Multiple myeloma: Compared with normal-weight individuals, overweight and

obese individuals have a slight (10% to 20%) increase in the risk of developing
multiple myeloma.

 Meningioma: The risk of this slow-growing brain tumor that arises in

the membranes surrounding the brain and the spinal cord is increased by about
50% in people who are obese and about 20% in people who are overweight.

 Pancreatic cancer: People who are overweight or obese are about 1.5 times as
likely to develop pancreatic cancer as normal-weight people.

 Colorectal cancer: People who are obese are slightly (about 30%) more likely to
develop colorectal cancer than normal-weight people.

A higher BMI is associated with increased risks of colon and rectal cancers in both men
and in women, but the increases are higher in men than in women.

 Gallbladder cancer: Compared with normal-weight people, people who are

overweight have a slight (about 20%) increase in risk of gallbladder cancer, and
people who are obese have a 60% increase in risk of gallbladder cancer. The risk
increase is greater in women than men.

 Breast cancer: Many studies have shown that, in postmenopausal women, a

higher BMI is associated with a modest increase in risk of breast cancer. For
example, a 5-unit increase in BMI is associated with a 12% increase in risk.
Among postmenopausal women, those who are obese have a 20% to 40%
increase in risk of developing breast cancer compared with normal-weight
women. The higher risks are seen mainly in women who have never used
menopausal hormone therapy and for tumors that express hormone receptors.
Obesity is also a risk factor for breast cancer in men.

In premenopausal women, by contrast, overweight and obesity have been found to be

associated with a 20% decreased risk of breast tumors that express hormone receptors.

 Ovarian cancer: Higher BMI is associated with a slight increase in the risk of

ovarian cancer, particularly in women who have never used menopausal
hormone therapy. For example, a 5-unit increase in BMI is associated with a 10%
increase in risk among women who have never used menopausal hormone
therapy.

 Thyroid cancer: Higher BMI (specifically, a 5-unit increase in BMI) is associated

with a slight (10%) increase in the risk of thyroid cancer.
Obesity prevention for kids
Obesity prevention begins at a young age. It’s important to help young people maintain a healthy
weight without focusing on the scale.

Breastfeed infants, when possible

One 2014 analysisTrusted Source of 25 studies found that breastfeeding was associated with a reduced risk of
childhood obesity. However, studies are mixed when it comes to the role of breastfeeding in obesity
prevention, and more research is needed.

Feed growing children appropriate portion sizes

The American Academy of Pediatrics explains that toddlers don’t require huge amounts of food. From ages 1
to 3, every inch of height should equate to roughly 40 calories of food intake. Encourage older children to learn
what various portion sizes look like.

Build early relationships with healthy foods

Encourage your child to try a variety of different fruits, vegetables, and proteins from an early age. As they
grow older, they may be more likely to incorporate these healthy foods into their own diet.

Eat healthy foods as a family

Changing eating habits as a family allows children to experience healthy eating early on. This will make it easier
for them to continue following good eating habits as they grow into adults.

Encourage eating slowly and only when hungry

Overeating can happen if you eat when you’re not hungry. This excess fuel eventually becomes stored as body
fat and can lead to obesity. Encourage your child to eat only when they feel hungry and to chew more slowly
for better digestion.

Limit unhealthy foods in the household

If you bring unhealthy foods into the household, your child may be more likely to eat them. Try to stock the
fridge and pantry with healthy foods, and allow less-healthy snacks as a rare “treat” instead.

Incorporate fun and exciting physical activity

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that kids and teens get at least 60 minutesTrusted
Source of physical activity daily. Fun physical activities include games, sports, gym class, or even outdoor
chores.

Limit your child’s screen time

More time spent sitting in front of a screen means less time for physical activity and good sleep. Because
exercise and sleep play a role in a healthy weight, it’s important to encourage those activities over computer or
TV time.

Make sure everyone is getting enough sleep

Research suggests that both childrenTrusted Source and adultsTrusted Source who don’t get enough sleep
may end up weighing more. Healthy sleep habits from the National Sleep Foundation include a sleep schedule,
a bedtime ritual, and a comfortable pillow and mattress.
Know what your child is eating outside of the home
Whether in school, with friends, or while being babysat, children have plenty of opportunities to eat unhealthy
foods outside of the home. You can’t always be there to monitor what they eat, but asking questions can help.

Obesity prevention for adults

Many of these obesity prevention tips are the same for losing or maintaining a healthy weight. The
bottom is line that eating a healthy diet and getting more physical activity can help prevent obesity.

Consume less “bad” fat and more “good” fat

Contrary to the belief behind the low-fat diet craze of the ’90s, not all fat is bad. ATrusted Source 2017
studyTrusted Source published in the Nutrition Journal showed that intake of healthy dietary fats, such as
polyunsaturated fats, can improve cholesterol levels and reduce obesity risk.

Consume less processed and sugary foods

According to a 2016 studyTrusted Source published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,consumption
of processed and ultra-processed foods is linked to a higher risk of obesity. Many processed foods are high in
fat, salt, and sugar, which can encourage overeating.

Eat more servings of vegetables and fruits

The daily recommendation for fruit and vegetable intake is five to nine servings per day for adults. Filling your
plate with veggies and fruit can help keep calories reasonable and reduce the risk of overeating.

Eat plenty of dietary fiber

Studies continue to show that dietary fiber plays a role in weight maintenance. One 2012 trialTrusted Source
found that people who took a fiber complex supplement three times daily for 12 weeks lost up to 5 percent of
their body weight.

Focus on eating low–glycemic index foods

The glycemic index (GI) is a scale used to measure how quickly a food item will raise your blood sugar. Focusing
on low-GI foods can help keep blood sugar levels steadier. Keeping your blood glucose levels steady can help
with weight management.

Get the family involved in your journey

Social support isn’t just for children and teens — it’s important for adults to feel supported too. Whether
cooking with family or going on walks with friends, getting people involved can help to encourage a healthy
lifestyle.

Engage in regular aerobic activity

Incorporating regular physical activity into your schedule is important for maintaining or losing weight, among
other benefits. The CDCTrusted Source recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes
of vigorous aerobic activity per week.

Incorporate a weight training regimen

Weight training is just as important to weight maintenance as aerobic activity. In addition to weekly aerobic
activity, the WHO recommends weight training that involves all your major muscles at least two times per
week.
Focus on reducing daily stress
Stress can have many effects on the body and mind. A 2012 studyTrusted Source suggests that stress may
trigger a brain response that changes eating patterns and leads to cravings for high-calorie foods. Eating too
many high-calorie foods can contribute to the development of obesity.

Learn how to food budget and meal prep

It’s much easier to grocery shop for healthy foods when you have a plan. Creating a food budget and list for
your shopping trips can help avoid temptations for unhealthy foods. In addition, prepping meals can allow you
to have ready-to-go healthy meals.

Importance of a balanced diet

A well-balanced diet provides important vitamins, minerals, and nutrients to keep the body and
mind strong and healthy. Eating well can also help ward off numerous diseases and health
complications, as well as help maintain a healthy body weight, provide energy, allow better sleep,
and improve brain function.

The importance of a balanced diet can’t be emphasized enough for a healthy lifestyle. A healthy
lifestyle can be attained by maintaining a balanced diet and keeping into consideration to meet all
the essential nutrients required by the body. A proper meal plan helps to attain ideal body weight
and reduce the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular and other types of cancer.

What is a balanced diet?

But what exactly is a balanced diet? In simple words, it’s a diet that offers the nutrients to help your
body function properly. The importance of diet lies in the intake of the right amount of calories. Your
body gets the right nutrition when you consume a wide variety of food rich in calories such as fresh
fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and proteins.

Importance of a Balanced Diet

Eating a healthy diet is all about feeling great, having more energy, improving your health, and
boosting your mood. Good nutrition, physical activity, and healthy body weight are essential parts of
a person’s overall health and well-being.

There’s no questioning the importance of healthy food in your life. Unless you maintain a proper diet
for a healthy body, you may be prone to diseases, infection, or even exhaustion. The importance of
nutritious food for children especially needs to be highlighted since otherwise they may end up
being prone to several growth and developmental problems. Some of the most common health
problems that arise from lack of a balanced diet are heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.

Being physically active manages many health problems and improves mental health by reducing
stress, depression, and pain. Regular exercise helps to prevent metabolic syndrome, stroke, high
blood pressure, arthritis, and anxiety.
What are the Benefits of a Balanced Diet?

 Prevents diseases and infections. When you eat the full range of vitamins, minerals and
other nutrients you improve your immune system and your healthy diet may even help
prevent diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
 Helps you control your weight. Most people at some point want to lose weight or gain
weight – eating a balanced diet helps you control your weight and maintain it over time. It is
not feasible to be on a weight-loss diet forever – a balanced diet is the only way to healthily
control your weight in the long term.
 Improves your mental health. Getting the right mix of nutrients can help to ease symptoms
of depression and anxiety – looking after yourself by eating well is essential as you take steps
to good mental health.
 Good for growth. A balanced diet is crucial for children and adolescents. As the body grows
it is important to receive the right nutrients so that cells are built and maintained and the
body grows at the right pace.
 Better skin and hair. A healthy balanced diet also improves your looks. Eating well
contributes to healthy skin and hair and a “glow” that makes you look younger.